Declaration of Heads of Member States of SCO

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2006-06-12 15:15

(Astana, July 05, 2005)

Unofficial translation by the SCO Secretariat

The heads of the member states of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation -- /further mentioned as the SCO or the Organisation/ -- of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the People’s Republic of China, the Kyrgyz Republic, the Russian Federation, the Republic of Tajikistan and the Republic of Uzbekistan -- having gathered at a meeting of the Council of heads of SCO member states in Astana on July 05, 2005, state the following:

I

A year on, since the last meeting of heads of memoperation between the member states and is becoming actively engaged in interaction with other international organisations and countries.

The SCO permanent bodies, which have been operating since 2004 -- Secretariat, based in Beijing, and Regional Antiterrorist Structure (RATS), based in Tashkent, -- are becoming effective collective instruments that provide an uninterrupted functioning of the Organisation. The RATS executive body -- Council -- has been playing a still more important role, which must increase further.

In order to enhance the effectiveness and coordination of the activity of the SCO and of all its bodies and mechanisms, the heads of the member states agreed that by their next high-level meeting in 2006 the Council of national coordinators will present proposals with regard to strengthening the role of Secretariat and renaming the Russian title of its chief as Secretary-General.

The heads of the member states underscored the importance of taking necessary measures on the fulfillment of agreements, which were reached at the second meeting of secretaries of national security councils of SCO member states in Astana on June 02, 2005.

In order to contribute to the fulfillment by the RATS of the Shanghai Convention on combating terrorism, separatism and extremism, the heads of the member states agreed to set up an institution of permanent representatives of member states based upon the same principles, according to which permanent representatives of the member states to the Secretariat are now operating.

The heads of the member states express their confidence that the Concept of cooperation between SCO member states on combating terrorism, separatism and extremism, which has been adopted at the summit, will help enhance the effectiveness of such cooperation and make the activity of RATS more precise and targeted.

The heads of the member states assume that a meeting of the Council of heads of government (prime ministers), which is due in Moscow in autumn, 2005, will provide true momentum for the realisation of the Action Plan on fulfillment of the Program of multilateral trade and economic cooperation between SCO member states, for getting down to a more practical interaction between ministries and departments responsible for external trade and economic activity, transport, environmental protection, tackling of emergency situation, culture and education, as well as establish a rational financial and budgetary policy of the SCO.

The SCO Business Council, the formation of which is entering into a final stage, is to become a new source of stimulating the integration process within the framework of the Organisation. Guided by the principle of consensus, the parties will speed up the establishment of SCO Development Fund. At the same time the parties agreed to strengthen interaction between banks in order to provide financial support for the realisation of projects of regional cooperation.

While emphasizing a great and constructive job, which was done by the Council of ministers of foreign affairs, the heads of the member states underline the importance of a practical functioning of the already launched mechanism of consultations on international issues. They also consider the task of providing a well planned and targeted development of SCO external contacts an urgent one. Such issues should basically be handled by the Council of ministers of foreign affairs, and current coordination of external ties, being established by the SCO permanent bodies, should be done through the Council of national coordinators and in interaction with the Council of RATS.

The heads of the member states express their confidence that giving Pakistan, Iran and India observer status in the SCO will expand the Organisation’s opportunities in terms of developing multilateral and mutually beneficial cooperation in various directions.

An important indication of the SCO’s growing authority on the international stage is the obtaining by the Organisation of observer status at the UN General Assembly in December 2004 and the signing of memoranda of understanding between the SCO and CIS, the SCO and ASEAN.

In the immediate future the Council of national coordinators, jointly with the Secretariat and RATS, must work out a general approach so that the SCO could be able to develop contacts with the UN Secretariat, its commissions and committees and fulfill already signed documents on cooperation with other international organisations with maximum efficiency, as well as establish ties with regional associations, forums and interested countries built upon equality and mutual respect.

II

The heads of the member states point out that, against the backdrop of a contradictory process of globalisation, multilateral cooperation, which is based on the principles of equal right and mutual respect, non-intervention in internal affairs of sovereign states, non-confrontational way of thinking and consecutive movement towards democratisation of international relations, contributes to overall peace and security, and call upon the international community, irrespective of its differences in ideology and social structure, to form a new concept of security based on mutual trust, mutual benefit, equality and interaction.

Diversity of cultures and civilisations in the world is a common human value. At a time of fast developing information technologies and communications it must stimulate mutual interest, tolerance, abandonment of extreme approaches and assessments, development of dialogue. Every people must be properly guaranteed to have the right to choose its own way of development.

The heads of the member states are convinced that a rational and just world order must be based upon consolidation of mutual trust and good-neighborly relations, upon the establishment of true partnership with no pretence to monopoly and domination in international affairs. Such order will become more stable and secure, if it comes to consider the supremacy of principles and standards of international law, before all, the UN Charter. In the area of human rights it is necessary to respect strictly and consecutively historical traditions and national features of every people, sovereign equality of all states.

The heads of the member states voice their support for rational and necessary reforms of the United Nations, aimed at enhancing the effectiveness and authority of this organisation. It was confirmed that, as the reforms got underway, it would be important to maintain as much broader consensus, to not impose any timeframe for the sake of overhauling the UN, as well as any voting on the projects, which are still causing a major disagreement.

The heads of the member states proceed from the assumption that in the 21st century the Asia Pacific region is destined to play an important part in providing peace and development, and declare against fault lines appearing both in the Asia Pacific region and in its separate constituent parts; declare for any misunderstanding and controversy among countries to be resolved by peaceful means and through negotiations; declare for an atmosphere of friendship, mutual understanding, interaction and constructiveness to come to reign in this dynamic region. Contributing to that is one of the main directions of the SCO activity.

The heads of the member states support the efforts by the Central Asian countries, aimed at providing peace, security and stability in their territory and in the whole region, and declare for the SCO to play an active role in strengthening stability and economic development in the Central Asia.

III

The heads of the member states believe that joint efforts by the member states are required in order to effectively confront new challenges and threats to security and stability in the region and in the world.

Such joint efforts must be of a complex nature and tangibly contribute to providing the territories, population, key objects of life support and infrastructure of the member states with a reliable protection from the destructive effect of new challenges and threats, to creating necessary conditions for steady development and elimination of poverty on the SCO terrain, and include the following:

- development of a close cooperation between diplomatic, foreign, external economic and law enforcement bodies, intelligence and defense agencies of the member states;
- active exploitation of the mechanism of meetings of secretaries of national security councils of the member states;
- formulation of effective measures and mechanisms of SCO joint reaction to situations, which threaten peace, security and stability in the region;
- joint planning and conduct of antiterrorist activities;
- harmonisation of national legislations on issues of security provision;
- cooperation on the invention and implementation of modern technical equipment used in fight against new challenges and threats;
- formation of an effective mechanism of mass media counteraction against new challenges and threats;
- training of respective personnel.

The SCO member states will prevent any attempts on their territories to prepare and commit acts of terror, including those aimed against the interests of other countries, not provide asylum for individuals, accused or suspected of conducting terrorist, separatist and extremist activity, and extradite such individuals at respective requests on the part of another SCO member state in strict accordance with the current legislation of the member states.

Measures will be taken to improve and enhance the effectiveness of the SCO Regional Antiterrorist Structure activity.
It is important that in the framework of fight against international terrorism the SCO solve problems, dealing with the liquidation of its material base, before all, through fighting illicit circulation of weapons, ammunition, explosives and drugs, transnational organised crime, illegal migration and mercenary activity. Special attention should be focused on preventing terrorists from misusing items of weapons of mass destruction, means of their delivery and on information terrorism.

Counteraction against the financing of terrorism, separatism and extremism, including the legalisation of illegally made profits and money, urgently requires the formulation of united approaches and standards of monitoring money remittance, movement of financial resources of organisations and individuals, suspected of involvement in terrorism, as well as an active engagement by the SCO in respective international efforts.

In compliance with the Agreement on cooperation in the fight against illicit circulation of narcotic means, psychotropic substances and their precursors, signed on June 17, 2004, a matter of high priority must be the deepening of cooperation on tackling illicit circulation of narcotic means, psychotropic substances and their precursors. The SCO is ready to actively participate in the international efforts on the formation of antinarcotic belts around Afghanistan, in formulation and realisation of special programs, providing assistance for Afghanistan in order to stabilise its social, economic and humanitarian situation.

We are supporting and shall continue to support the efforts by the international coalition, conducting antiterrorist operation in Afghanistan. Today we are noticing the positive dynamics of stabilising internal political situation in Afghanistan. A number of the SCO member states provided their ground infrastructure for temporary stationing of military contingents of some states, members of the coalition, as well as their territory and air space for military transit in the interest of the antiterrorist operation.

Considering the completion of the active military stage of antiterrorist operation in Afghanistan, the member states of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation consider it necessary, that respective members of the antiterrorist coalition set a final timeline for their temporary use of the above-mentioned objects of infrastructure and stay of their military contingents on the territories of the SCO member states.

Protection and development of key objects of infrastructure and transport are becoming ever more urgent in terms of preventing and tackling various kinds of technogenic disasters, consequences of which have already become an essential part of a set of threats to the new order. The SCO member states will work out multilateral mechanisms on a system of monitoring and exchange of analytical information in connection with possible disasters and their consequences, as well as on the creation of necessary legal and organising conditions for conducting joint rescue operations, including education and training of personnel under united methods, its quick transfer and compatibility of technical means.

The SCO will be making a constructive contribution to the efforts by the world community on issues of providing security on land, at sea, in air space and in outer space.

In order to increase the fight potential of the member states of the Organisation for combating terrorism, separatism, extremism and other challenges and threats, the SCO member states will consecutively expand their cooperation in economic area, guided by the Program of multilateral trade and economic cooperation and the Action Plan on its fulfillment. Practical steps will be taken in the field of ecology and rational use of natural resources.

Formulation of coordinated methods and recommendations on conducting prophylactic activities and respective explanatory work among the public in order to confront attempts of exerting a destructive influence on the public opinion is a vital task. The member states will actively contribute to the expansion of interaction within the SCO framework in such areas as education, culture, sport and tourism.

The heads of the member states proceed from the assumption that joining efforts in the SCO framework for the purpose of providing security and expanding the Organisation’s potential does not hurt the interests of other states and does not mean a movement towards the creation of any bloc, fully corresponds to the SCO principle of outside openness and the spirit of broad international interaction in confronting new challenges and threats.